Show, Don’t Tell

Sunday morning retuning: Are you crying out to the Father? He wants His kingdom to come and His will to be done in you as it is in heaven. Are you aligning yourself to those purposes in prayer? If not, why not? Do it today! Right now!!

My son Samuel recently competed in a writing competition. I was there to help and was able to take in some of the orientation for the students. I was surprised at one point to hear something said matter-of-factly that I had honestly never heard before.

The teacher behind the podium said, “And remember of course” as if everyone knew this next statement, “to show, don’t tell”. I must admit. For a moment it sounded like she was speaking in another language. You know that feeling of having to go back in your mind and replay the recording so you can use the context to discern what was just spoken. Then I realized the words she said and was only slightly less confused. I had to think about this.

I am not really sure what she said for the next few minutes as I thought about what she must have meant by this phrase and it occurred to me that this made great sense as a writing technique. I had some clarity in my own mind, but wanted more. So where did I turn, you guessed it, the internet.

Google “Show, don’t’ tell” and a lot of things come up. I liked what I found at this link if you are interested in more. I have come to learn that it means to use dialogue an sensory language to bring your reader into the experience of what you are communicating. Be descriptive and specific, not vague. This is challenging to anyone who writes, including people who blog, say weekly. 

These next few weeks we are going to be looking at our discipleship process at North-Mar: loving Jesus, growing together, serving our world. As you read those words, you may be tempted to think, as I am sometimes, that you have that figured out. You know how to do those three. Give me something else. But allow me to caution you.

The proof in the pudding of what kind of discple you are may be measured well in the context of “Show, Don’t Tell”. You have heard it said, “I would rather see a sermon than to hear one any day.” The truth that drives that statement is that people want to see our faith in action, to be draw into it, not just hear about it.

So as you hear those truths these next three weeks, ask yourself, “How can I show what kind of disciple I am, rather than telling people?” I know I will be. See you Sunday.

Jesus, help me to be a disciple who is faithful to show my faith and not just talk about it. Help me to be a doer of the word and not simply one who hears then speaks it. All that You may be glorified.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy